Valve-controlling apparatus



June 15 1926.

s. P. DUCK VALVE CONTROLLING APPARATUS Fil ed Nov. 15. 1924 Y ,3 villi/111M i In INVENTOR Simon 1? Duck a A TO Y wlmfsssama 1...... 15,1926; n I I. 1,588,712

om-mpsm-rrs PATENT OFFICE.

'smo'n 2. Been, or JENKS, oxLAnoMA! vanvu'conrnonnmo APPARATUS.- Application filed November 15, 1924. Serial no; 750,030.

Myinvention relates'to valve-controlling to the opening in the outlet pipe and thus apparatus,and it has particular relation to prevents the entrance of any air into the such apparatus as.is adapted forfcontrolpipe line from that source. Accordingly,

ling the flow of liquid'from tanks to pipe the vacuum of the pipeline is maintained fi'lines connected thereto. v at all times and delays in the transmission One object of my invention is to provide of oil are avoided. J I

an apparatus for automatically controlling Reference may now be had to the adthe connection of a container for liquid companying-drawing, in which tooutlet means therefor in accordance-with Figure 1 is a view, partially-in longithe height of the. liquid in the container. tndinal. section and partially in' elevation, i A second object of my inventionis to of'the valve-controlling device embodying provide apparatus for automatically closing my invention; and y p v v the connection between. a tank and a pipe Fig-.- 2 is a diagrammatic view of a sysline for preventing the access of air to the tem comprising a plurality of tanks, the

15 pipe line upon the cessation' of flow of ,c'onnection of which toa pipe line is conliquid from the container.- trolled by the .device of Fig. 1.

A further object of my invention is to Referring particularly to Fig. 1, a valveprovide valve-controlling apparatus which controlling device 1 comprises anair-tight operates automaticallyto open and to close cylinder 2 and afloat. 3 that is adapted for 20 the valve, according as the liquid supplied limited movement therein, The cy nder is thereto exceeds or falls below a predeterprovided with-an inlet port- 4 at its lower mined level. i i end whereby fluid pressure may be' trans- In the emptying of oil tanks into pipe mitted thereto.- The cylinder is provided, lines for conveying the oil to refineriesor also, at its upper end, with a tubular 'm'em 25 to other storage tanks, it may occur that her 5-, the outer end of which is provided the level ofthe oil within the tanks falls with a relativelysmall opening 6 that conbelow the outlet'opening before the gauger, stitutes an air vent and which is also proor operator who measuresthe oil, has closed vided, on its inner surface, with a ground the valve in the. outlet or'drain pipe. In valve seat 7 for a purpose to be hereinafter 8 330 such case, air is likely to be admitted to described.

the pipe line and the vacuum of the sys- "The float 3 is mechanically connected, by tem, which maybe operating on the gravity a rod 9, a universal joint 10 to prevent stickfiow'principle,.may be destroyed. In such ing of the float and a valve stem 11, to case, it is necessary to .restore the vacuum a gate valve 12 which may, for example, before oil will flow in 'the pipe line, and control a pipe line that is shown in sectlon 1 this operation is sometimes. comparatively at 13. The rod 9 is connected at its upper diflicult, as Well as undesirable, because of end to a smaller rod 14 that is provided. the delay in operation of the pipeline; with a tubular opening-at vits upper end Inaccordance with the present invention, within which is .slidably mounted a'rod -15 40 I j provide a valve-controlling apparatus that extends upwardly through the opening H which operates automatically to" .open a 6in the tubularmember 5., main valve in the pipe line when the gauger Therod 15 carries a ball valve 16 for has opened the valve in the outlet or drain 0 ation'with the valye, se'at17.. #A spr ng:- pipe of a tank to be emptied. The main l f which is located between theuppen'end' 45 valve remains-open so long as the fluidof the rod 14 and the ball-valve 16, y1eldpressure which corresponds to'the head or ingly maintains, the -1' -ods j14' and. 15 and eight of the liquid in the tank remains their associated parts' winfthe positions 111 above a predetermined value. The valve which they are illustrated. controlling device is arranged-however, to In the operation "ofthe valve-controlling close the main valve in t e ipe line bedevice 1, it may be assumed that 'liquidig fore the level of the oil in t e tan'k' falls A from any convenient source, such, for ex- I ample, as an oil tank, is supplied to the cylinder 2 through the inlet port 4 and a connected pipe 18. If the liquid rises to a predetermined level, it exerts sufficient force upon the float 3 to lift the latter together with its associated parts, including V is indicated by dot-and-d'ash the gate valve 12. During the upward inoveinent of the float 3 and the liquid, air escapes from the vent 6 until the ball valve 16 engages the valve seat 7, further movement of the float compressing the spring 17 to more firmly seat the valve. The valve 16 retains a certain quantity of air in the cylinder 2 and prevents the oil rising beyond a desired heighttherein. v

The uppermost position of the float 3 lines which corresponds to the fully open position of the valve 12. The occupy the positions to which they are actuated so long as the liquid in the cylinder exceeds a predetermined level.

It will be noted that a stufling box 18,

' which surrounds the rod 11, effectively prevents the leakage of any oil from the pipe line 13 into the cylinder 2.

When the liquid in the cylinder 2 falls I below the maximum level necessary to maintain the float in its uppermost position, the

weight of the valve 12 and the connected parts causes the valve to be closed to a corresponding degree. The valve 12 should be arranged to be fully closed, when the liquid level corresponds to a desired minimum height of liquid in a tank or other container. The initial downward movement of the liquid within the cylinder and (3f the float is permitted by reason of the air under compression in the upper portion of the cylinder, the valve 16 opening to admit air during the latter portion of the movement. When the valve is fully closed, all of the moving parts of the valve-controlling device are then in the respective positions in which they are illustrated.

Reference may now be had to Fig. 2, in which is illustrated a system of storage tanks connected to a pipe line for transmissionof their contents, together with a valvecontrolling device such asthat shown in Fig. 1, for controlling the flow of liquid in the pipe line- A system of tanks 20,only two of which are shown by way of illustration, are connected, through outlet or ipe line 13. The

drain pipes 21, to the drainpipes 21 are provi ed with manuallyoperable valves- 23. 4

The valve-controlling device 1 controls a gate valve,'such as valve 12 of Fig. 1, that is located in any convenient portion of the pipe line 13. The valve-controlling device lf is connected, by means of'thepipe 1 8 and an auxiliarypipe line 24, to. the outlet or drain-pipes 21 of the tank. The elevation of the valve-controlling device 1 is suitably It may be assumed that it is desired to drain the pipes 20 into the pipe line 13. It

is customary for a gauger to measure the height of the oil in the tanks before the con- 'nections to the pipe line are opened. The

next operation is to open the valve 23 of the tank to'be drained, whereupon oil will flow through the auxiliary pipe line 24 and the pipe 18 into the cylinder of the valve-controlling device 1 in the manner previously described. The float 3 isv actuated upwardly to open the valve in the pipe line and oil then fiows into the pipe line 13 until the level in the tank'reaches the minimum for which the device 1 is adapted to operate.

When the predetermined level is reached, which is usually slightly above the opening into the drain pipe 21, the float 3 and the valve controlled thereby fall to the positions in which the pipe lineis closed. The flow of liquid in the pipe line 13 then ceases and it is not possible for air to enter the ipe line through the drain pipe 21, as would occur in case the level of the liquid were allowed to descend below the opening.

When the gauger returns to measure the oil so long as the oil inv the tank being emptied is above the predetermined level.

It will be noted that, by means of the valve-controlling device described above, all of the pipe system, including that between the main controlling valve and the valves in the drain pipes of the several.

tanks, is maintained full of oil and thatIthe access of air to any portion thereof is eifectively prevented.

While my invention has been described in connection with-the draining of oil tanks into pipe lines, for which use it is peculiarly adapted, it is to be understood that such fise is described by way of example only. For example, if the valve 12 is arranged to be closed in its uppermost posivalve-controlling device may be employed to maintain a, supply'tank of water, oil or other liquid at any desired maximum level. For such use, the ball valve 16 is not essential, as there will be no tendencyfor the tion and open in its-lowermost position, the

liquid to rise to the top 01' the cylinder.

-The same result may be secured by connecting the valve-controlling device 1 to the ated in either direction at will. I

v pipe line directly connected thereto', of a' It will be obvious that otherapplications of my invention will occur to those skilled in the art and it is desired therefore, that the scope of my invention is to be limited only as indicated in the appended claims.

I claim as'my invention-:

- 1. The combination with a tank and a valve in said pipe -line,' a cylinder directly Connected. to. said tankand in-axial alinement with said valve, a float in said cylinder and directly connected to said valve for controlling said valve in accordance with the level of the contents of, said tank, a-

valve for-controlling the connection of said tank to said pipe line' and to said cylinder, and means for preventing flowv of liquid between said cylinder and said pipe line ad- .jacent to said valve, said float and said valve said. valve.

being biased toward the closed position of 2. The combination with a tank and a pipe line connected thereto, of a valve in" said pipe line and automatic means for, operating said valve to permit the flow of the-contents of said tank into said pipeline I and to prevent the entrance of air to said an outlet opening liquid from said tank,

pipe line as would occur upon the fall of the contents of said tank to alevel'below an outlet therefor, said means comprising a float member connected to said valveand in alinement therewith, said float member being responsive to apredetermined minimum level of the contents of said tank, said minimum level vbeing above said outlet and a valve between said tank and said float member for controlling the application of liquid to said member. v Y 1 3. The combination with a tank having and -'a controlling .valve and a pipe line directly connected to said tank'through said valve, of avalve in' said pipe line and automatic means for operating said pipe linevalve upon the opening of said controlling valve under predetermined conditions and for closing said pipeline valve when the contents a predetermined minimum level above said opening to prevent the entrance of air to said pipe line upon the cessation of flow of said means-compris: ing a cylinder also directly connected to said tank through said controlling valve, and a flolat in said cylinder and connected to said va ve.

of said tankfall' toprisinga cylinder having an opening therein for the transmission of liquid thereto and having alsoan air vent, of a float therein, "means for controlling'said airvent in accordance with the position of said. float, F

a'pipe line and a ;valveoperatively con-.

line.

5. The combination with an oil tank and a cylinder having an air vent and an inlet port, of a float in path of travel between said air vent, a pipe line, a valve said pipe line and connect-ed for actuation thereby and means for closing said air vent when said valve occupies one of its positions.

6. The combination with a tank-for containing liquid and a pipe line directly connected to saidtank for receiving said liquid,

ort and said or controlling of'avalve in said pipe line and controlling means for said valve comprising a cylinder connected-to said tank independently of said pipe line and positioned in vertical cylinder directly connected to said valve and controlled inaccordance with the height to said float alinement' with said valve, a float in said nected to saidfloat for controlling said pipe 4 i said cylinder having a of theliquid in said tank-whereby the valve 1s opened when the liquid supplied to said cylinder exceeds a predetermined level and said valve is closed when the liquid in said tank falls to a predetermined level that is above an outlet opening in said tankand air is thereby prevented from entering the pipe line, means adjacent to said pipeline valve for preventing the flow of liquid into said cylinder, and means for controlling the connection between said tank and saidcylindeni 7. The combination with a' plurality of tanks and a pipe line connected thereto, of a valve in said pipe line, a valve for controlling the connection of each tank to said pipe line, and means for automatically controlling the pipe-line valve in accordance with the open position of one of the-frank valves and the level of the contents of the .-corr'es onding tank, said pipe line and said 'contro ling means being respectively directly connected to said tanks through the several tank valves. q

8. The combination with a plurality of tanks and a pipe line connected in common thereto, of a valve for controlling the con- 'nection of each tank of said pipe line, a valve in said pipe line, adevice for controllingthe pipe-line valve-in. accordance with the open or closed positions of the respective tank-valves and the level of the contents of a tank the valve of which is open, said pipe line being connected to said tanks directly through the respective tank valves, andv meansfor transmittingfluid pressure from any-of said tanks. tosaid device independ- 4. An automatic cut-ofi for oil tanks com 'ently oi the position of said pipe-line valve.

c e mama:

' :9. An automatic nut-off :for oil tan'ks mike, and :11 iseondvfllvq colitrolling comprising a cylinder having :an air vent communication nf aitank'wfihsmdrinkhpmt and an inlet port, a float therein, a. pipe and=with saidtpipefline v 1ine,-a.valve connected (to said floatiorecom -In testimony wheredf, 1 :have hereunto 6 trolling said xpipe line, means carried by subaariheflmy name vthis- ,10th ..day ;of .No-

said float' for:opening or closing said air vembr, H924. vent in-acco'rdance withthepositionof:said 

